Draft-gear.



A. L. STANFORD.

DRAFT GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 11I 1909.

Patented. Apr. 5, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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DRAFT GEAR.

` APPLICATION FILED JUNE l1, 1909. 954,058 Patented Apr. 5, 1910. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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Bssr AVAILABLE COPY i UNITED sTATEs 1 PATENT OFFICE.

l ARTHUR L. STANFORD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

' DRAFT-GEAR.

Specification of Letters Ilatent.

ratented Apr. 5, 1910.

Application .filed June 11, 1909. Serial No. 501,543.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Bc it known that I, ARTHUR L. STANFORD,

p a. citizen of the United. States, residing at CIK Chicago, in the county of Cook and` State of lllmols, have invented certain new and usefulA Improvements in Draft-Gears, of 'winch the following isa specltication.

.'lh'edi'aft gearof the presentinvention relates to certain features'7 of addition and imprbvement, on the devices described and claimed in my-co-pending application, Se-

rial No. 440,824, filed June 29, 1908.

` The presentinvention, like that of the applicatio1'1-refe1'red to, is intended .to act as a combined `spring andfriction. draft gear,

and the object of the present invention is to so construct and arrange the .half circular fi'ictionbloclrs and cooperating friction arms that the desired frictional act-ion and resulting curve of efficiency may be regulated with particular referencevto the objects in view.

In my earlier application, the half round blocks, which acted on the forward side. of the friction arms, were mounted to turn on coincident axes, so that the power is applied vat substantially the center point of the casing in each instance. In the present` case, the location and arrangement of the friction blocks has been changed so that the vices nntilthe. forward springs have been' compressed to a given point and then' etti-- ciency fully exhaust Further objects 4w1ll appear ,from a detailed descrlption of the invention, which consistsin the features f construction and combmatlon of parts hereinafter descrlbed- InA the drawings, Figure lis a side ele- Vvatten ofthe draft gearingof the )resent invention, as applied to a drawbar an 'couplint; head of standard construction; Fig. 2, i

1 a sectional plan View of the gearing taken t through the center thereof and showin@ the gearing in uncompressed condition; Fig. 3, a similar view showing the gearing subjected to a maximum compression; Fig. 4, a longitudinal sectional elevation taken through the center of the gearing; Fig. 5,' a cross sectional View taken on line 5--5 of the forward frictional socketniember.v t

The gearing comprises a substantially rectangular easing having side walls 8 and S), a floor 10, and a top or roof 11;l The casing is further provided at the rear end with a wall 12, and the side walls, a short distance forward of the rear walls are furnished with outwardly projecting reinforced ing of thegearing to the space allotted therefor under the M. C. B. requirements. They side walls, furthermore, are reinforcedvby longitudinall)v extending' inner ribs 147`and outer ribs 15, and the forward ends of the side walls are slightly oifset as compared with the rearportions of thepside walls, in order to' afford an increased inner dimensionat the forward ends of the'casing.

lVithin the forward or enlarged end of its forward end to afford a cylindrical spring Vchamber 17, which receives the outer and inner coil springs 1S and 19 respectively, the forward ends of which springs when uncompressed project asubstantial distance beyond the recessed end of the being .to-compensate for slight shocks or jars without subJecting the rear springs to compression until the forward springs have force them back flush with the forward end ofthe forward socket member. 'The forward socket member is best' illustrated in innerface is provided on one side with a with a pair of' laterally disposedlugs 21,

Fig. 4; and Fig. G, a perspective view ofI shoulders 13, which are preferably posi. tioned asl indicated, to accommodate the cas' been compressed to the extent necessary'toA the casing is located a `forward frictional socket member 16, which 1s hollowed out at.

socket member, the function of these springs Fig. 6, from which it will be `seen that its A centrally disposedlug 20, which coperaties one on each side jof the inner endy ofthe 1 center lug 20. The laterally disposed lugs.v l.Ql'are of less width than the' center 1u thenE intention being that 'the center lug .wil pre-` sentva frictional surface substantially equal to that of the combined frictional surfaces affordedffby the laterally disposed lugs.

" acting face, the recess being curved on the` larc of a circle from end to end ofthe lug.'

Each of the lugs is recessed on its inner or The lugs above described coperate with two outer friction blocks 22.and intermediate friction blocks 23, the intermediate blocks finding a bearing within the center lug 20, and the outer blocks finding a bearing within the laterally disposed lugs 21.

Each of the blocks is of half cylindrical.

1 to the blocks will be transmltted along noncoincident lines. The four forward friction blocks coperate with intermediate friction arms`24 and a pair of outer friction arms 25,

which latter underlie and overlie the intermediate arms andare adapted ,to swing in S horizontal planes, coincident with the planes of movement of the friction blocks. The intermediate friction arms are hinged to a. vertically extending, heavybearing pin 26, the upper and lower-ends of which are socketed withinlrecessed bosses 27, which protrude from.y the side walls of the casing, as best shown in Fig. 1, and the outer friction arms, which arerlocated above and below the nterm iate arms,.are similarly hinged to a heavy bearing pin 28, which is similarly socketed, the held in lace byv means of a ke or s line 29, whic is .entered through t e wal of the pro'tuberant socket boss.

The vintermediate and outer friction arms coperate with intermediate and outer'rear friction blocks`30 and 31 res ectively, which are in 'shape similar to the orward friction blocks, save -that the corners 32 are cut or beveled away for a purpose to be hereinafter explained. The rear friction blocks iindhin- 'dependent bearings in recessed bosses 33,

similar to those previously described, which A bosses are formed on the forward or inner face of a rear socket block'34, which oecupies the space within the casing to the rear of the friction arms. The soc iets for the rear friction blocks are referably so formed as to permit the rear friction blocks to turn more nearly'in axial alinemeiit with one auf' other, and in'some cases it may be desirable to so form the recesses that the axes of the rear blocks will be coincident with one another, dependin upon the results sought to be obtained an the curvature of efiiciency y desired.. The rear socketv block is provided on its rear'orfouter face with a boss 35, into which is screwthreaded the forwardend of an adjusting'rod 36, the rear end of which freely lpasses throu h a boss 37, inthe center of the lrear wall "o the casing, and the end ofthe rod has screwthreaded thereon an adjusting nut 38, which is entered within a usual manner to a drawbar 45 of standardpins in each instance beingl ing the ynut, the socket block 34 can'be' re 70 tracted againstfthe tension of inner and outer interposed coil springs 4'1 and 42 're-l l l spectively: p The casing of the draft gearing 1s embraced on the top and bottom by the arms of a yoke 43, the head 44 of which is rounded to register with the rounded surface of the fillerblock 40. Thevyoke is attached 1n the In use, it is desirable to initially adjust the rear socket block 34, by the action of the rod 36 to theI properdeg'ree, to subject-the rear springs to a relatively seyere, normal pressure. This normalA pressure should be such that, in combination with vthe pressure required to initially impart a movement to the friction members, it will be substantially .equal to the pressure necessary -to compress y the forward 'springsto their limit of move, 90

ment.l By adjusting the parts in this manner, slight shocks or jars 'will be entirely compensated for by the action of vthe forwar springs before the rear sprin s are further compressed, and the friction evices will thereby be relieved from any wear during the ordinary or usual operation of the: draft gearing. After the forward springs have been compressed to such an extent as to'be completely housed within the recess 17, ,1C

' pressure will be brought to bear against the.

fprward'end of the forward socket member aand the 'pressure so applied will cause'such member to travelftoward the center, .the

limit, of which movement willlie reached when the forward end of the forward socket member. is lbrought Hush or in line` with the forward end of the casing, which'is the position indicated in Fig. 3, and which marksthe limit of eiiiciency of.- the draft gearing.r 112" As the. forward socket member ismoved to the rear, the forward friction blocks will begin to turn in their bearings and to exert al pressure against the forward edges of thef friction arms, which, as the arms are swung,v` .115

will' slide across the flat? inner faces' ofthe -v forwardv friction lblocks,,therebysetting upa? 'I heavy. ictional vactioinlfor which the gearing yis particularly designedi. f

It will be noted that' the-pressure' against 120 the swinging friction arms will-'be appliedf-.- in each caseat a point' relatively nearthe axis of movement of the respective arms and that the pressure will be imparted from the opposite side of thearms to the rear fric- '125.

tion blocks at a'point in each case relatively distant from the axis of movement of the respective arms, so that a relatively short, longitudinal movement vof the forward 4friction blocks willimpart a relatively long, longituj.,13G

the parts are moved under pressure, friction vwill. be generated between the curved faces of the forward and rear friction 'blocks and the sockets within which they turn, between the straight inner faces of the friction blocks and the edges of the arms along which they travel, and between the arms themselves and the pins on which the)7 are hinged. The frictional 'n'ioven'ients between the arms, the blocks, and the socket members will subject the casing to pressure directed in longitudinal lines, and the frictional action excited between the arms and the pms will subject.

the casing to pressure` exerted in substan- 'tially transverse lines.` and imparted to the side walls'of thecasing, so that, asa result, the strain will be divided and distributed as regards the casing.

By changing the locations of the forward and rear friction blocks with respect to one another, the resultant compression of the rear springs incident to a given amount of movement applied` to the forward socket member can be regulated to any desired degree, which is highly important in the art to which the presentinvention relates. Furthermore, the arrangement of the partsis such that there will be no cramping or wedgmg movements which tend to lock the friv-v tional members together when subjected to the great pressures incidental to actual usage, so that the compression and release I claim:

1, In a draft gearing, the combination of a casing, two friction arms pivoted to opposite sides of the casing and adapted to of the Gearing will be smooth and uniform.

swing iu the arcs of their respectiveI circles,y

a socket member, and two friction blocks mounted to turn on different axes within the socket member and held in frictional contact with the pivoted arms, substantially as dcscribed. l

2 In a draft gearing, the combination of a casing, two friction larms pivoted to oppositc sides of the casingl and adapted to swing in the arcs of their respective circles, a forward socket member andl a rear socket meml'ier, a pair of forward friction blocks mounted to turn on different axes within the forward socket niemlanand held in frictional contact with the pivoted arms, and a pair of rear' friction blocks mounted to turn wit-hin the rear socket member and held in frictional contact with the pivoted arms, substantially as described.

3. In a draft gearing, the combination of a casing` two friction arms pivoted to opposite sides of the casing and` adapted to swing in the arcsof their respective circles,

, a forward socket membe and a rear socket member. a pair of forward friction blocks mounted to turn on different axes within the forward .socket member and held in frictional contact with the pivoted arms, and a pair of rear friction blocks mounted to turn on different axes within the rear socket member and held in frictions] contact with the pivoted arms` substantially as describeth 4'. In a draft gearing, the. combination ot fa casing, two friction arms pivoted to o pwposite sides of the casing and adapted to swing' in the arcs of their respective circles, a forward socket member and a rear socket member, a pair of forward friction blocks mounted to turn on different axes within the forward socket member-.and held in frictional Contact with theapivoted arms, a pair of rear friction blocks mounted to turn within the rear socket meinberand heldin frictional contact with the pivotcd arms, a

forward 'spring bearing against the forward socket member and normally projectmg outwardly therefrom and `adapted to compensate slight shocks or jars, and a rear spring` bearing against the rear socket member and -normally held under suflicient comljiression Josite sides of the casino* and ada )ted toswing in' the arcs of their respective circles, a forward socket-member and ay rear socket member, a pair of forward friction blocks mounted to turn on different axes within the forward socket ,member and held in. frictional contact with the pivoted arms, a pair of rear friction blocks mounted to turn on j different aXes'within the rear socket member and held in frictional Contact with thc pivoted arms, a forward spring bearing against tho. forward socket. member,and-normally projecting outwardly therefrom; and adapt-- ed to compensate slight shocks or jars, and a rear spring bearing against the rear socket member and normally held` under sufficientcompression to permit thev maximum compression of the forward spring prior tothe further compression of the rear spring, `substantially as described. l

6. In a draft gearing, the combination of a casing, two friction arms pivoted to opposite sides of the casing and adapted to 'swing in the arcs of their respective circles, a forshocks'or jars, a rear spring bearing against the rear socket-member and normally held under sufcient compression to permit the maximum compression of the forward spring prior to the further compression of the rear spring, and a screw adjusting rod engaging the rear socket member andy entered through the' rear end wall of the casing and adapted to be adjusted to regulate the normal comression of the rear escribed.

7. In a draft gearing, the combination-of a casing, two friction arms --pivoted 'to opposite sides of the casing andadapted to swlng in the arcs of their respective circles, a forwardsocket member and a rear socket member, a pair of forward friction blocks mount ed to turn on different axes within the forward socket member and held in frictional contact with the pivoted arms, a pair of rear friction blocks mounted to turn on different axes within the rear socket member and' held in frictional contact with the pivoted arms,

a forward spring bearing against the for- .ward socket` member and normall- -projecting .outwardl therefrom and a apted to compensate sight shocks or jars, a rear Aspring bearing against the rear socket member and normally held under suiicient compression topermit the maximum compression ofthe forward spring prior to the further compression -of the rear spring, and -a screw adjusting rod engaging the rear socket member and entered through the-rear end wall of the casing and adapted to be adjusted to regulate the normal compression of the rearl spring, substantially as described.

8. In a draft' gearing, the combination of a. forward spring mounted to compensate slight shocksA or` jars, a rear spring, and means, independent of the forward,- spring, for normally holding the rear spring under sufficient compression to plermit of a given degree of compression of t eforward spring prior to the further-'compression of the rear spging, substantially as described.

a casing, a pair o f oppsitely disposed fric- .tion arms pivoted to oppositie ysides of the casing and adapted to swing one under the other, a' pair of forward friction blocks, each of half cylin rical formation and havin flat inner face 'bearing against the forwar spring, substantially asa draft gearing, the combination of'.l

sides of the res ective arms,'a socket mem-v ber within wich the forward friction blocks are mounted to turn on different axes. at opposite sides of the center line betweenthe friction arms, a pair of rear friction blocks of semi-cylindrlcal formation, and a.

rear socket member within which the rear friction blocks are mounted, substantially as described. i

10. In draft gearing, the combination of a casing, a pair of oppositely disposed friction arms pivoted to opposite sides of the casing and adapted to swing one under the other, a pair of forward friction blocks, each of half cylindrical formation and having fiat inner faces bearing against the forward sides of the respective arms, a socket member within whichthe forward friction blocks are ltion arms pivoted to oppos1te sides of the casing and adapted to swing one under the other, a pair of forward friction blocks, each Iof semicylindrical formation and having fiat are mounted to turn on different axes at opposite sides of the center line between the friction arms, a pair of rear friction. blocks of semi-cylindrical formation, and a rear' socket member within which the rear friction blocks are mounted in position to turn inner faces bearing against the forward I sidesI of the respective arms, a socket member within which. the forward friction blocks tion arms-pivoted to opposite sides ofthe casing and adapted to swing one under the other, a pair offorward friction blocks, each of semi-cylindricalt formation and having flatinner faces bearin sides of the res ectlve arms, a socket member within whic theforward friction blocks 120' are mounted to turn on different axes at opposite sides of the center line between the ofl semifcylindrical formatiom'having their ends cut away to reduce the contact surface with the rear sides of the respective friction arms, and a rear socket member within which the rear friction blocks areI mounted in posit-ion to turn 011 axes on opposite sides of the center line between the friction arms, substantially as described.

againstthe forward y friction arms, a pair of rear friction blocks p adapted to tum, Sub- ARTHUR STANFORD.

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